Crime

Concerns high after 3 sexual assaults near UW-Madison

Three women have been sexually assaulted by strangers on or near the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus this week, and police believe two of the assaults may have been committed by the same man.

"It's incredibly rare for us to have this many sexual assaults in such a close time frame and geographic proximity," said Madison Police Department spokesman Joel DeSpain.

The incidents are drawing particular attention because they come so close to the start of a new school year.

Eighty to 85% of sexual assaults are committed by a suspect who knows the victim, according to Kelly Anderson of the Dane County Rape Crisis Center. But the three women who reported being sexually assaulted in downtown Madison this week said they did not recognize their assailants. In two of the cases, the women were likely followed before being attacked, DeSpain said.

The most recent incident occurred on campus early Friday morning, when a 21-year-old woman walking home from the State St. area was sexually assaulted by a stranger in an alleyway near 21 N. Park St. The description of the suspect — a white male, 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-2, with a muscular build, brown spiked hair and facial stubble — reminded DeSpain of the description of the suspect in an assault that took place five days earlier.

In that incident, a woman asleep in her W. Mifflin St. apartment awoke early Sunday to a stranger touching her through her underwear. Police say the stranger — described as a white male, 5 feet, 11 inches tall, 200 pounds, with dark-brown spiked hair and facial stubble — may have entered the apartment through a door left unlocked after a party.

UW police spokesman Marc Lovicott acknowledged the two incidents could be related. He echoed DeSpain's concerns.

"For whatever reason, we're seeing an uptick in stranger sexual assault," Lovicott said. "It's very rare, and it has occurred before school even starts."

The remaining incident does not appear to be connected to the other two. A 21-year-old woman was walking on Fahrenbrook Court Wednesday before dawn when a tall black male grabbed her from behind, threatened to shoot her and sexually assaulted her in a parking lot.

No suspects have been identified in any of the three assaults. Madison police, UW police and the Dane County Sheriff's Office are involved in the investigations.

Police and university officials increased safety messages to students this week, including a YouTube video with tips for young people who are out late at night. In the video, Madison Police Lt. Dave McCaw advises students to stay in groups and monitor their surroundings.

"Evil bad guys search for weak victims, because victims are usually by themselves, and stumbling drunk," McCaw said.

Anderson, of the Rape Crisis Center, acknowledged the necessity for increased caution, but warned against messages that could be seen as blaming the victim.

"Rather than talking about the choices the victim made, we should think about the fact that someone went out looking for someone to rape," she said.

She added: "Getting raped is not a natural consequence of walking alone at night."